Spurs notebook: Joseph making most of fill-in time for Parker

There are times Cory Joseph wakes up in the morning and still can’t believe his fortune.

A few weeks ago, the second-year point guard was toiling in the comfortable anonymity of the Development League, honing his still blossoming skills away from prying eyes.

Now Joseph is starting for the Spurs, in the pressure cooker of a desperate fight to hold off Oklahoma City atop the Western Conference.

The enormity of filling in for injured All-Star Tony Parker could be enough to break a 21-year-old. Joseph has been determined not to let it.

“I try not to let it get to my head,” Joseph said. “I try to just go out there and do my job.”

Set to make his sixth consecutive start for Parker tonight against Dallas, Joseph — a former University of Texas standout — has fallen squarely into the “solid if not spectacular” category.

He has not been the driving force behind any of the Spurs’ three victories without Parker. Nor has he been the difference in two lopsided losses to Portland and Minnesota.

“He’s not going to be Tony Parker,” coach Gregg Popovich said. “Cory’s solid. He gets us into our sets. But we don’t expect him to score like Tony does.”

Joseph is averaging 8.8 points and 2.6 assists in his five starts, while shooting 58.6 percent. He has committed only six turnovers during a period in which ball security has been a teamwide issue.

Joseph, a first-round draft choice in 2011, was a rare bright spot in the Spurs’ 107-83 defeat at Minnesota on Tuesday, going for a career-high 15 points.

Though Joseph would never wish an injury on another player, he acknowledges personal gain from Parker’s extended time on the shelf.

“It’s been very big,” Joseph said. “I’ve been trying to fill in, not be like Tony but be myself. Play hard defense. Run the offense. Just try to give my team that spark.”

Give it away now: The Spurs committed 17 turnovers against Minnesota, good for 30 Timberwolves points.

For the season, the Spurs are averaging 14.6 turnovers per game, 12th-most in the NBA.

“It’s been a point of emphasis for us all year,” guard Danny Green said. “Every time we speak, we talk about defense and taking care of the ball. (Turnovers) allow teams to get back in the game, or win the game.

“We hurt ourselves with turnovers.”

The Big 5-0: The Spurs are one victory away from extending their NBA-record streak of consecutive 50-win seasons to 14. The Los Angeles Lakers own the league’s second-longest streak, reaching 50 wins in 12 straight seasons from 1979-90.

The last time the Spurs failed to win 50 games was 1999, when the regular 82-game slate was shortened to 50 because of the lockout. The Spurs went 37-13 that season, good for a .740 winning percentage.